Following its time at Sherman Theatre, Language Landscapes is now installed at Eryri National Park Visitor Centre in Betws-y-Coed (8 March -26 April)
Dive into the natural world with four short audio plays about the words, myths and memories that shape our connection to place.
In our digital era, and our times of climate change, these works are by turns lyrical, funny and heartfelt explorations of the age-old relationship between language and landscape.
You can choose to listen to any one of the below, or to all four plays. Each piece lasts about 15 minutes.
These pieces contain references to grief, loss, and homophobia
Yr Arallfyd (The Other World) by Mari Izzard
On her first day working for the forestry commission, Buddug is in the middle of navigating a big decision with her girlfriend, when she falls (quite literally) into Welsh mythology.
Language: Welsh
Director: Izzy Rabey
Sound Designer & Composer: Tic Ashfield
Actors: Elin Gruffydd, Joel Edwards, Ieuan Rhys
English transcription
Welsh transcription
Gathering Day (Diwrnod Casglu) by Natasha Kaeda in English.
An elderly woman retraces the path where she met her husband, travelling through the memories and landscape which shaped their lives together.
Language: English
Director: Fay Lomas
Sound Designer & Composer: Lee Affen
Dramaturg: Tommo Fowler
Actors: Sharon Morgan, Kyle Lima, Ceri Lloyd, Bethan McLean
English transcription
Welsh transcription
Lleisiau Milltir Sgwâr (Voices of the Square Mile) by Alice Eklund: Verbatim piece in Welsh
A kaleidoscope of voices explore the ways in which the Welsh language, landscape and legends define how they see nature. Drawn from workshops and interviews with participants across Wales.
Creator: Alice Eklund
Sound Designer: Tic Ashfield
English transcription
Welsh transcription
Acorn by Tommo Fowler and Fay Lomas: Verbatim piece in English
A personal journey into landscape in a digital age, delving into nature words, placenames and stories. This is an exploration both of language lost, and language gained. Drawn from workshops and interviews with participants across Wales, including multiple groups from the Sherman.
Co-creators: Tommo Fowler and Fay Lomas
Sound Designer & Composer: Lee Affen
With some contributions voiced by Sharon Morgan, Kyle Lima, Ceri Lloyd, Bethan McLean and Isabella Colby-Brown
English transcription
Welsh transcription
Visual Installation created by Sophie Thomas for McGregor Coxall.
Artwork design by Ciaran Walsh.
Transcripts (in their original language) and translations will be available of all pieces.
All pieces are free. We expect the majority of listeners will experience the pieces by scanning a QR code and listening on their own phones and headphones. But we will have spare MP3 players and headphones for anyone who needs them.
Funded by Arts Council Wales, in partnership with Sherman Theatre and Eryri National Park.